Hurricanes deal Wallin to Sharks

Along with Wallin, the Hurricanes also sent their own fifth-round pick in the 2010 Entry Draft to San Jose for Buffalo's second-round pick. Wallin is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

"We thank Nic for his time in Carolina," Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford said. "He has been a key part of the Hurricanes for the past nine seasons, and we wish him and his family well."

Wallin, 34, has five assists and 26 penalty minutes in 47 games this season. He was drafted as a 25-year-old in the fourth round of the 2000 Entry Draft and was a mainstay on Carolina's blue line when it won the Stanley Cup in 2006.

"Niclas is a playoff-hardened, veteran player with lots of postseason experience and a Stanley Cup ring," Sharks GM Doug Wilson said. "Good, solid character players are hard to come by and we think he will complement our existing group very well. He has a history of playing his best when the games mean the most."